In the field of cabinetry and mill work, a recurring problem is the uncontrolled speed at which a cabinet door closes. The typical hinged connection includes a hinge cup mounted to a furniture piece and pivotally connected to a hinge arm mounted to another furniture piece. A metal coil spring biases the metal hinge cup toward the metal hinge arm. Uncontrolled closure can result in damage to cabinetry doors create unwanted noise and premature wear of cabinet faces.
Prior art compact hinges have attempted to solve the uncontrolled closure problem unsatisfactorily with a generally combined damper and housing assembly removably fitted to the hinge cup. Such damper assemblies are prone to inadvertent or unwanted removal because they are designed to be removable. Furthermore, the damper assemblies are typically formed of plastic and so are not aesthetically pleasing. Still further, a damper assembly such as found in the prior art is bulky and requires delicate assembly which adds unnecessary expense to the manufacturing process.
Hence, there is a need for a damper for a compact hinge that is secured in the hinge cup permanently and yet is aesthetically pleasing, and easy and inexpensive to manufacture.